The Adventures of Kathlyn eBook

Immediately the high priest announced that the successful
candidate would be conducted to the palace zenana
and confined there till the final ceremonies were
over.

Umballa dreamed of what he had seen.

To Ramabai was given the exalted honor of conducting
the king and his betrothed to their respective quarters.
Once in the private passageway to the harem, or zenana,
Ramabai threw caution to the winds.

“We must go a roundabout way to the garden of
brides, which will be deserted. Outside the
gate Bruce Sahib and Ahmed and Lal Singh await with
elephants. Once we can join them we are safe.
And in a month’s time I shall return.”

Meantime one of the leopard keepers rushed frantically
into the throne room, exclaiming that the seven guardian
leopards were at large. Even as he spoke one
of the leopards appeared in the musicians’ balcony.
The panic which followed was not to be described.
A wild scramble ensued toward all exits.

The fugitives entered the royal zenana. Kathlyn
proceeded at once to the exit which led to the garden
of brides. There she waited for her father and
Ramabai, who had paused by the door of one of the zenana
chambers. Between them and Kathlyn lay the plunge.

Ramabai addressed the lady of the zenana, telling
her that if guards should come to state that Kathlyn
was concealed in her own chamber. To this the
young woman readily agreed.

Suddenly a leopard appeared behind the colonel and
Ramabai. Kathlyn, being first to discover the
presence of the animal, cried out a warning.

“Fly, Kit! Save yourself! I am accursed!”
called the colonel.

Ramabai and the young woman at the chamber door hurriedly
drew the colonel into the chamber and shut the door.
The colonel struggled, but Ramabai held him tightly.

“We are unarmed, Sahib,” he said; “and
the Mem-sahib never loses her head.”

“Ramabai, I tell you I shall die here.
It is useless to attempt to aid me. I am accursed,
accursed! Kit, Kit!”

The leopard stood undecided before the door which
had closed in his face. Then he discovered Kathlyn,
fumbling at the wicker door at the far side of the
swimming pool. There was something upon which
to wreak his temper; for all this unusual commotion
and freedom had disturbed him greatly. Kathlyn
opened the wicker door, closing it behind her.
Clear headed, as Ramabai had said, she recollected
the palanquin which had been last to enter the garden
of brides. She ran into the garden, flew to
the palanquin just as she heard the leopard crash through
the flimsy wicker door. She reached and entered
the palanquin not a moment too soon. She huddled
down close to the door. The leopard trotted
round and round, snarling and sniffing. Presently
he was joined by another. From afar she could
hear shouting. She readily understood.
Through some carelessness the leopards of the treasury
were at liberty, and that of her own and her father
was in jeopardy. Just without the garden of
brides was Bruce and help, and she dared not move!